Past, Present, and Future
by Pyro Bear
Summary: It's a new school year, a new time to start over. But sometimes, you just wont escape the past. Complete.
1. Home Sweet Home

Kassandra shoved the key into the lock on the door and opened it. Stepping inside she turned around, only to find her brown-haired apartment mate.

"You ready to embark on the journey of a lifetime?" she asked him as he passed though the door.

He just mumbled something and walked around the already decorated apartment, taking every little thing in. His fingers softly traced the carved lines of the cross that hung on the wall.

"Your room is on the right. It's the second door on the right. It's not decorated, I didn't know what you liked," Kassandra shrugged and walked to her room, leaving him with his thoughts.

The familiar smell of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme greeted her bare room. She enjoyed the simplistic look of it. Behind the desk hung a crucifix and upon the table lay a worm Bible. Crossing the room she touched the cover lightly, afraid that the leather would crumbled under the gentle touch. "I love you Da," she whispered, although no a soul was in the room, save for herself. She let her soft voice echo though the room, what was left of her Irish lilt sounded foreign to her ears and she quickly hurried over to the small boom box that sat on the bottom self of her bookcase.

Soon the voices of Simon and Garfunkle filled the room with sound. She sat down on her quilt-covered bed and brought out a dog-eared copy of the King James Bible and turned to the story of Ruth and proceeded to read.

Sometime later Kassandra stood up and walked out of her room and into the kitchen to make something to eat. Making another sandwich she headed to her the boy's room.

"Hey Connor, you want a balonga sandwich?" she asked, entering his room after knocking.

"No tomatoes?" he looked at her instead of the blank wall he had been staring at before.

"No tomatoes," she promised. "You thinking about what you want to do?" Kassandra asked before she left the room to make the sandwich.

"Yeah, do you have anything to draw with?" he asked her once she returned with his food.

She nodded and returned with a pad of paper and some pencils. "Draw what you want to put on your walls--to you know--practice," she blushed a bit and ran back to her room--to her sanctuary.

The next few weeks were spent in relative silence. Connor, Kassandra's apartment mate, spent most of his time in his room. He usually drew or read and she couldn't have been happier. Summer was ending and something was going to happen.

"Connor," Kassandra knocked and walking into the boy's room. She was still amazed by all the color that lighted up the once bland room.

"Yeah?" Connor asked, looking up from the current book he was reading, Oliver Twist, and gave her a look.

"Sorry for interrupting you, but there's something called school that we're required by law to go to. And we sorta need to sign up for classes," Kassandra stumbled over the words, shy all of a sudden.

"Classes? What kind of classes?" Connor asked, defensive all of a sudden.

"Yeah, you go and learn. You'd like some of the English classes, and some of the art ones as well," Kassandra smiled and blushed.

"Oh, okay, Sign me up for whatever you think is good," Connor shrugged and went back to his book.

A week later the two teens walked to the new school. "You remember the story, right?" Kassandra whispered.

"Yeah," came the one word reply.

"You ready?" she pressed further.

"Yeah," he answered in the same fashion as before.

"Don't lie. You sound just like my father and brother when you do it. It's just a bit nasal," she gave him a soft smile and walked to the main entrance of the New Sunnydale High.

Connor stood there for a minute, debating to run off or follow Kassandra's example. He sighed and for once in his life decided to not follow his gut instincts. Walking into the building, he clutched his schedule and map in his hand, while his bag hung against his thigh, thumping it every time he took a step.

As he wandered the building thought the day he couldn't help but thing about what his father said to him, before he ordered him to get out. A small grin played upon his lips. "He loves me," he whispered and then yearned to leave the building that held him like a caged animal.

"Mr. James, could you please give me the answer to number five: 3(3x)=81?" the faceless math teacher asked.

Connor barely glanced at him before he answered; he was too busy thinking. Holtz, funny how he didn't think of his as his father anymore. And he wasn't Steven either; he was Connor. He deeply loved Holtz though, if it hadn't been for him he wouldn't have learned anything. Holtz had taught him reading, writing, some science and math, and of course vampire lore. He missed LA, but Connor wasn't wanted there, he had been dismissed, like a beaten dog, by the beaten dog.

He didn't even wait for Kassandra to walk out of school; Connor just tore off down the street and to the apartment complex. Sitting down at the computer that sat in the living room, Connor logged onto the Internet, just like Fred had taught him to. Sending the message he ran out of the living room and into his. Falling onto his own bed, Connor let the tears he had held back since he had come from the dimension he had grown up in to LA.

He heard Kassandra come home, but he didn't care. He just wept.

Kassandra walked down the hall and stopped at Connor's door. "Sleep Connor," she whispered. She then started singing Hush Little Baby. As she walked away, she heard snores coming from his room.

* * *

Okay, nothing too fancy and such not. Just to let you know, Kassandra, although a large player in this story, is not the main character. This also wont have a lot of action, since I'm not too good at doing it, although it has been put in, in later chapters. I'm already working on the third, so don't worry. Thanks for reading this and please review, I would really like to know what people think of my work.


	2. Holiday Festivities

Dawn looked that the two people who she had become friends with. "Halloween? I don't know about that," Dawn laughed slightly, thinking about the last Halloween she experienced, lip locking with a vampire wasn't something she was looking forward to.

"Why, you're mom really isn't that bad. She's really cool," Carlos asked, taking a cigarette from the pack he had.

"Carlos, Buffy is not Dawn's mother. And stop smoking," Kit reprimanded.

Dawn sighed and ignored the two; they would just fight and then make up. Why couldn't they just kiss and get it over with already? Walking down the hall she slipped into the Family and Consumer Sciences room. Mrs. Wayne was not there, but there was a girl about Dawn's age sitting by the window, softly singing a song to herself.

"Excuse me," Dawn felt bad for interrupting the picturesque scene.

"Do you want to leave a message for Mrs. Wayne?" the girl asked as soon as Dawn said something.

"Well, originally yes, but I have a feeling you can help me much more than she could," Dawn explained. She sat down and explained her predicament.

"Well, that certainly is a predicament, but I doubt I can help you," the girl shrugged and picked up what she had been working on, since she had put in her lap when Dawn had come in.

Dawn looked at it and caught her breath, "It's perfect," she breathed.

"It's pretty," the girl admitted, "But everything has it's imperfections," the girl said wisely. "I'm Kassandra by the way," she introduced herself.

"I'm Dawn, and I would really like it if you would help me," Dawn pleaded and gave puppy eyes.

Kassandra chuckled, "Okay, okay, I'll do it. Free of charge, you just have to pay for materials," she smiled and Dawn returned with one of her own.

"I really couldn't ask you to do it for free. I mean school takes up so much time, at least with me it does. I'm babbling again aren't I?" Dawn became flustered.

"It's perfectly all right," Kassandra smiled and pulled a bag onto her lap. "When can me meet and get the material?"

Dawn shrugged, "After school? Unless your busy."

Dropping the bag to the floor Kassandra nodded and explained about Connor, and how he may be a tag-along. Dawn didn't care and told Kassandra that Carlos and Kit would probably make an appearance as well.

School came to an end and Dawn stopped into Buffy's office. "Buffy, I'm going with Carlos and Kit okay? I'll meet everyone at the Magic Box later," and she was gone as quick as she came. Buffy just shrugged and went back to the rearranging of her desk.

"Ms. Summers," Principal Wood knocked on the door and walked into her tiny office.

"Yeah?" she looked up from her desk.

"Tomorrow I would like you to talk to a Connor James. He's been getting into large amounts of fights here at school and I want to make sure he's getting along with everything. I just want him to know he has someone to talk to, that's all," he explained.

"Fights?" Buffy asked. It wasn't like she couldn't handle him if things got violent, but the less pain, the better.

"Unfortunately yes, but the strange thing is, he sticks up for the ones usually getting picked on. Odd really," Principal Wood shrugged and left Buffy with her own thoughts.

Looking out the wind she saw her sister and her friends with two others. She smiled; she liked Dawn being with normal kids her own age.

Dawn smiled at Kassandra and the boy that came up behind her. "Dawn, and you other people, this is Connor," Kassandra introduced her apartment-mate with the other three.

Dawn leaned over to Kit and whispered, "He's cute," her friend nodded in agreement.

"That's Carlos and Kit," Dawn offered.

"Wassup compadre?" Carlos offered a hand to Connor.

Connor looked at it for a moment and stuck out his own. He probably wouldn't have done so if Kassandra hadn't stomped on his foot.

"So what do you want to be?" Kassandra asked once the five of them stood in the door of a local craft store.

"Well, we don't really know," Dawn confessed. "I guess we want to do a group theme."

"What kind, Robin Hood?" Kassandra pressed.

"Greek Gods?" Kit offered.

"I like that!" Carlos nodded.

Kassandra grinned and went over to the books of patterns like child in a candy store. Soon she selected a few patterns and the four others followed silently.

"Okay Dawn, what Goddess do you want to be?" Kassandra asked, facing the dark haired girl.

"Aphrodite? That's the Goddess of Love, right?" Dawn answered and sighed in relief when Kit nodded.

Kassandra nodded and then went looking for the right material. Soon the two others were done Carlos as Hermes and Kit as Artemis.

"Do you guys wanna join?" Kit asked, face shinning.

Kassandra looked at Connor, who just shrugged. "I have an idea," she muttered to the other four and wandered off.

"That was interesting," Carlos cracked a smile. It was decided soon after that Connor was to be Ares and Kassandra was to become Hestia for the celebration of All Hallows Eve.

Dawn was over at the apartment after school for the next week. She did whatever she could to help Kassandra who seemed to enjoy the daunting task. Dawn cut out patterns, cut materials, and even taking measurements. Both Kassandra and Dawn felt a kinship towards the other; Dawn was almost unhappy with Kassandra finished her own costume, insisting Hestia should be last.

That Friday, Dawn bade Kassandra good-bye, and walked down the hall. Sighing, she readjusted her bag on her shoulder and proceeded to bump into someone. "Sorry," she muttered, finally looking up at the person once she had collected everything that had fallen out of her purse.

"It's quite alright," the person said. A gasp was caught in Dawn's throat.

"Dean," I'm so sorry!" she apologized to the quarterback of the Sunnydale High football team.

"It's okay really. Hey, are you going to the Halloween Dance? It's going to be a blast," he smiled at her, making her knees quiver and her heart melt.

"I think so. I gotta go though, see you at school!" Dawn called as she ran down the hall and down the street.

When she got home, Dawn smelled something burning; Buffy had gotten sidetracked again. Shutting off the stove, Dawn dumped whatever it was and dialed for pizza. While she was waiting for Derrick, she had gotten to know the pizza boy pretty well; she dialed Kassandra's number.

The two talked for awhile and Dawn bragged a bit about talking to Dean. She did 'forget' to mention that she had smacked into him. Kassandra listened intently though, eager to hear what her friend was saying. She was finished with her own costume, which was a relief, since Halloween was that Friday, a scare three days away. The pizza soon came and Dawn bid good-bye and left Kassandra with her own thoughts, the whirring of the sewing machine, and the ever present haunting voices of Simon and Garfunkle.

Finally it as done, and it only left one thing for Kassandra to do, bless them. She knew Sunnydale could be a dangerous place, and who knew about Halloween Night?

By the time midnight rolled around Kassandra was dead tired and cranky. Flopping onto her bead she slept until the next morning's alarm awakened her.

During the day of Friday, October 31st, there was a buzz in the air, everyone was looking forward to the night of horrors, treats, and partying. Even Kit was excited, and for a school function no less.

All day Dawn looked for Dean, but he failed to show his face. She shrugged it off though, it was a big school, and besides if he was sick, he was sick, what could she do?

The day dragged on and on, and Dawn practically jumped out of her history class seat when the bell rang. Running to her locker, she dumped all her books into it. All teachers, hers at least, hadn't given homework, a smart idea.

Carols and Kit met her at her locker and they headed to Kassandra's a normal practice for a not so normal day. The three waited only moments before Kassandra and Connor both arrived.

"Ready to go?" Kit asked. The other two girls nodded while Carlos and Connor shared a looked. They had a very bad feeling about this.

They hurried to Kassandra and Connor's apartment and the girls promptly took over the bathroom and Kassandra's room, which suited the guys just fine. The boys where left to their own devices, they decided upon watching football.

After two hours of primping and priming, the girl came out in while tube tops and shorts. "Don't say a thing. This is the last time you'll see me like this," Kit warned Carlos, who just grinned and went back to watching football. He was promptly shoved off the couch and dragged into the bathroom. Connor laughed at the fallen male, even though he was the next target.

By six-thirty the guys were ready, and the girls were putting on make-up. The guys were then dragged to the school. They entered together, like a roaming pack. Soon, one by one, they broke apart, leaving Kassandra to mingle by herself. She saw Carlos trying to get out to smoke. She turned her head, and heard the door slam. She walked in a different direction and saw Dawn talked to some guy in a Dracula costume. She smiled and determined that, that was Dean. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Connor. Shrugged she went to go find the elusive Kit to talk.

Connor watched Dawn as she talked the full of himself jock. Snorting, he followed them as Dean persuaded Dawn to go into the basement. He was following them when he felt a cool hand on his shoulder. "Go back to the group duck, Something's coming, they're going to need you. I'll watch over my Bit," the distinctly British voice said to him and then disappeared.

Connor nodded, feeling that whatever spoke to him, could see him. Besides he had lost the trail. Turning back to the gym he heard a scream, breaking into a run, he stopped at his locker and grabbed a few weapons, it never hurt to be prepared. Since someone may know what was happening, he grabbed a few extras, figuring that they would probably help him.

"Ooh, weapons, my favorite," Kit grinned when she found him near the gym doors.

"You scare me," he told her when she grabbed two stakes and ran towards Carlos, surprisingly agile in her costume.

Kassandra was gathering as many kids as she could to get them out of the gym that was being terrorized by vampires that thought it was some kind of buffet.

"Where do you think you're going with dinner?" a particularly nasty vamp asked.

"Be gone demon," she whispered and ran at him, a stake that an unseen someone had shoved into her hand upraised. She shoved it into the demon's heart. Kassandra stood in shock as the demon's body imploded into a pile of dust, but quickly started to herd kids out.

"I feel like a cow about to be killed," a passing freshman muttered.

Once everyone was out, Kassandra turned back to the carnage. Dawn was there by now, along with a tall bleached blonde. "Here goes nothing," she muttered to herself and leapt in.

By the end, the gym was trashed and everyone was tired. Dawn had tried to plead to Spike, but he would have none of it. "Go on Bit. Tell your sister about the fun you had," he smiled at her and watched as Connor, Dawn, Kit, and Carlos walked out of the gym. Kassandra stayed behind.

"You're still here, why? You don't have the proper papers," Spike demanded.

"You're in need," Kassandra answered cryptically.

"But I'm not worth it. Go and do your mission, which I am not," Spike walked back into the shadows.

"Vampires suck, especially pissy souled ones," Kassandra muttered to herself.

"I heard that Lighter, I heard that," came the voice of Spike from the shadows. Kassandra snorted and turned on her heel, leaving the gym for someone else to clean up.

* * *

Yeah, that's it. That's as about as much action as you're going to get. *sweat drop* I told you I wasn't very good at battle scenes, I'll just stick to angst. The good thing is I have chapter 3 written, and almost typed. And then of course chapter four is in the works, with an interlude done and over with.

Until Next Time.

Elizabeth


	3. The Meaning of Being Frisky

The days after the Halloween attack Dawn found herself staring at Connor more and more. They were in the same gym class and when he ran, she couldn't keep her eyes off him. His motions were carried though like flowing water and every time he past her, her breath was caught in her throat.

Kassandra's words floated back to her, "It's pretty, but everything has its imperfections." She shook her head and tried not to think about him.

At the end of the day, Dawn headed down the basement. After Halloween night, she had grown used to the talking again to Spike. Although some of his ramblings didn't always make sense at first, they always did in the long run. Making sure she didn't see anyone, she slipped down the stairs, but someone was watching her. A few moments after Dawn slipped down, Connor followed.

"Bit, how are you doing?" Connor heard the voice that had instructed him to go upstairs on the 31st of October.

"Spike, I have a problem," Connor heard Dawn lament.

"Would it have to do with the bloke that's standing round the corner?" Spike asked, and then stuck his head out. "No use in hiding duck," he said to the surprised Connor.

Dawn gasped when she saw Connor sheepishly trail behind Spike. Anger welled up inside of her, but before she could get a word out, Spike was already talking to her.

"Bit, when he saw you leave with the bloody pouf Dale, he followed you. He just wanted to make sure you are all right. Now why don't you kiss and make up?" Spike told them.

Connor and Dawn looked over at each other. Connor shrugged and took as step towards her. Leaning down, he kissed her softly on the lips, earning a slight gasp from Spike, "No like that! I just wanted you two to be all friend-like. Not friendly!" he exclaimed.

The two jumped apart once Spike voiced his opinions. They had been caught up in the moment; forgetting that he was even present. "Sorry," Connor mumbled.

Spike's face broke out into a huge grin, confusing the hell out of Dawn and Connor. " I like you boy, I don't know why I like you, but I do. And when I find out why I do, I'll promptly start disliking you."

Connor cocked his head in confusion and Dawn laughed. "In Spike speak, that means you are good enough for her, but don't become to frisky," she translated.

"No sir! What does frisky mean anyway?" Connor asked, somewhat confused.

"If you aren't going to do it in the middle of the school, don't do it," Spike grumbled. Dawn laughed when Connor had a taken-aback look on his face. She said good-bye and pulled the still confused boy up to the first floor of the new Sunnydale High School.

Even though it had seemed that they had been in the basement for a long while, it had only been ten minutes at most. They found Kit and Carlos already waiting with Kassandra at Dawn's locker.

"You two look happy," Dawn greeted both Carlos and Kit.

The two of them shared a small smile, "We've decided to hook up," Kit said. Whatever the reaction she was expecting, wasn't the one she got.

"Finally! Ever since the first day of school there has been sickening amount of sexual tension," Dawn breathed a sigh of relief.

"You shouldn't be talking amiga. You and weapons boy over there have been in the midst of some sexual tension yourself," Carlos mimicked her.

Dawn made a face, "Your voice was too low. And we don't have any sexual tension, do we Connor?" she asked. Connor just nodded his head, agreeing with her.

Both Kit and Carlos looked at one another while Kassandra's face broke out into a huge grin, "Welcome to the family!" she cried.

Dawn just grinned back, "We're not getting married or anything. Besides, " she looked at her watch, "we've only been going out for the past ten minutes."

The group of friends walked out of the school and walked by the construction site. Dawn turned and waved to Xander and Buffy, something she did not normally do. And Xander even remarked on this fact.

"Well she looks happy," he said, looking at the school's floor plans, checking for the fourth time to see if there was anything supernatural, save for the little hellmouth under the library.

"Don't talk Xander, I don't need that image burned into my brain," Buffy told him, trying desperately to figure something, anything, out.

Principal Wood had told her about the disarray of the gym and several students had come to her to hell about the strange things that had happened that night. Buffy couldn't figure it out, but Dawn hadn't said a word.

Shrugged, Buffy went back to the plans. "Something doesn't feel right, something's in the air."

Xander looked at his friend. "Not so tactfully changing the subject, I think Willow is finally starting to move on."

Buffy smiled and thought of her other best friend. "Look I should go and check in with Principal Wood and then I have to go research," Buffy bid goodbye to her friend and then went back into the school.

"Ms. Summers, can I talk to you for a second?" Principal Wood stopped Buffy in the hall.

"I was just coming to see you. What can I help you with?" Buffy turned to her boss.

"Look, both you and I know that this town is anything but ordinary. There's something to come, and neither of us know what it is. But know this, there are unexpected allies that you must find for yourself before you even think you can stand a chance," Principal Wood put a comforting hand on Buffy's shoulder. "You can do it."

"Thank you Mr. Wood," Buffy smiled and turned away, walking to her office and checking to see if she had any new messages.

Returning home, she checked the answering matching. There was a message from Angel and after listening the extremely short message comprising of "Call me ASAP at (643)-252-5592" she vowed that she would follow the instructions after a short nap.

The week passed quickly for Buffy and she soon forgot all about the message she had received from her old boyfriend, that is, until he called her again, only this time Angel talked to Buffy himself.

By the tone of Angel's voice, he was distraught, but he was trying to hide it, at which he failed. Finally Buffy lost patience with the master vampire and demanded to speak to someone who could explain the whole situation to her.

Quickly Angel was off the line and was replaced with a woman named Fred who explained the tale to the confused slayer.

Buffy was taken a back when the tale was finished, "So let me get this straight, Angel and Cordy love each other, but this guy Connor, who is Angel's teenage son that lived in a Hell dimension for three months, although it felt like fifteen years to him. When Angel was going to meet Cordy, Connor intercepted Angel and put him at the bottom of the ocean, at this time Cordy was made a higher being. Skip over the summer and Angel come back, kicking his kid out, and finding Cordy. He brought her back and now wants me to help him find his son so they can be one big happy family."

"Yeah, that's about right. Angel wants you to be on the look you," Fred told the blonde slayer.

"I'll try. It's just that…things are hectic around here," Buffy sighed and bid good-bye, hanging up the phone.

Looking at the clock, Buffy realized that it was 5:00 PM already, and Dawn was still not home. Once again picking up the phone, she called Dawn's cell phone.

"Hello?" a breathless Dawn answered the phone.

"Where are you?" Buffy asked.

"Over at Kassandra's. I'll be back before curfew, promise. Sorry about not telling you though, but it's been rather interesting afternoon," Dawn told her sister.

Buffy gave her consent and hung up. Falling onto her bed, she sighted. "B," the voice of her inner self, which sounded a lot like Faith, "she's growing up. It's time to step back and let her grow. You can only protect the babe so much before you smother it."

Sighing again, Buffy say back and fell asleep. She awoke a few hours later to rambunctious voices downstairs. "Dawn?" she questioned as she walked down the stairs.

"Huh? Oh hey Buffy," Dawn looked up from the position of sitting on a guy's chest. Buffy recognized him as the boy Mr. Wood had her talk to a few days before. "Buffy. That's Kassandra and this is Connor," she introduced the two faced that Buffy had not met before. "They're cousins," she clarified.

"That's nice," Buffy commented. "Why are you sitting on his chest?" that threw Dawn for a loop and she blushed.

"No reason," she whispered as she slid off Connor.

Buffy wasn't convinced, "Well at least he's better than that vamp you were sucking face with last year," she then made her graceful exit.

Dawn's face grew even redder, " I didn't know okay?" she muttered as the rest of her friends gave her strange looks. 

Connor wrapped an arm around his girlfriend, "I'm sure you didn't. But you don't have to worry about me. Vampire demon free," he smiled, but his eyes didn't.

Inside he grimaced, 'I may not have a vampire's demon, but I'm the bastard son of two vampires.'

Kassandra interrupted Connor's thoughts announcing the fact that she was ready to go home, and she was about to. Connor offered to go with her, but with a knowing smile she refused, "I can take care of myself cousin," then quietly she slipped out the front door and walked down the street.

As she walked Kassandra's thoughts turned to her past. She thought of the looks Dawn and Connor shared. She had shared them once, with a boy not much older than she, by the name of Kevin. He was a good-looking boy, sandy colored hair, and twinkling eyes.

Then of course times came to pass and times changed. Life was not set the way they wanted it to be, and Kassandra lost her love and her only hope to happiness.

The trip down memory lane ended when she came to her frond door. Opening it, she saw the mess that her friends had left. As she cleaned up, the doorbell rang and she went to go get it.

"Hey, my car broke down and I was wondering if I could used your phone," the sleazy man asked.

"I'm not going to let you in vampire. One of your kind already killed me, I will not go though that again," Kassandra then closed the door.

* * *

Again, another chapter, and no one except Shadow Maker and Melikochan had replied, thanks Kay and Mel! Well here's the third part, please review, pretty please? I'll love you forever and ever if you do!

PS-I know this little Halloween thing was a little late, but I left my house at 7:45 and didn't come home until late….so nah!


	4. Interlude: City of Angels

Buffy watched the boy in front of her. It was Connor, her sister's boyfriend. There was a silence and Buffy continued to watch him. His brown hair flopped in his eyes, shielding him from the prying eyes of others as well as giving him a mysterious air.

"So how did you end up with your cousin?" Buffy asked.

"Family problems," was the stoic reply she was given.

"What kind of problems?" she pushed.

"Dad kicked me out, Can I go now?" Connor snapped.

Buffy was taken a back, but kept her cool, "Just answer me this last question, and then you are free to go. Where did you used to live?"

"LA," Connor told her and left her office, his bag hanging across his chest.

Once he was gone, Buffy picked up the phone and her fingers danced over the phone pad, "Angel? I think I found Connor."

~

Angel was happy, his life was just starting to come together again. Cordy was back, Connor had been found and the only think that could make it any better is the fact that Connor would be home soon.

"So what do we do Angelcakes?" Lorne asked.

"We go get my son. Go get Gunn and Fred, we're going to Sunnydale," Angel grinned, hopefully this trip would be uneventful compared to the last one they experienced, the Los Vegas trip still caused Gunn and Fred to shudder at the mention of it.

* * *

Just an interlude, didn't really fit into the last chapter, and it's a rather pivotal place in the fic, so it gets it's own little place. Review please. Constructive criticism is appreciated the most! But positive ones are great and so are flames! I like to toast marshmallows! Thanks again!


	5. The Teenage Runaround

Connor's nose was acting up. He couldn't figure it out, bust something was coming. He was also restless. He had taken to running around the track to get his anger out. They gym teacher, a coach to many of the sports teams, was looking at him with greed in his eyes.

Connor just ignored him and ended up seeking out refuge in Spike's lair, the basement. The human and the vampire shared an unusual friendship. They were both deathly loyal to Dawn and so fiercely loyal to one another. Spike started to have his episodes less and less, but started to act like Connor more and more.

It came to a peak when the two of them were patrolling the graveyard. They came upon two lovers, or what looking like two lovers. In all actuality, it was Buffy and Angel.

As soon as Connor caught wind of his father, he ran away. Spike furrowed his forehead and followed the only person he thought of as a friend.

"What's up with that Duck?" Spike as he caught up with Connor.

"He's here," was the only think he could say before he started to beat up the stone wall of the ally they were standing in.

"Who, Peaches? Granted he's not my favorite character, but nothing too bad, as long as you didn't hurt his family. That happens to bring out a particularly nasty side of him," Spike told him, wincing slightly at the thought. "You didn't do that, did you?" Spike asked as an after thought.

The teenager turned to him, weary of beating upon the innocent wall, "Worse, I'm the family that hurt him."

Spikes eyes comically bugged out; "I'm not going to push Duck. But if Peaches gets it into his head that you need a punishment, well, I can't help you," Spike put a hand on Connor's shoulder, but he just shrugged it off.

"He's not going to get me. I won't go out after dark. I won't be caught in his trap again," Connor muttered to himself more to himself than to Spike and ran out of the ally and to the apartment.

What he told Spike wasn't really the truth, it was more like Angel couldn't be caught again in the trap that was Connor. Connor didn't trust himself. If could do this, what else could he do?

The nest day Cordelia walked into the Sunnydale High School. She was meeting with Buffy; they were both trying to figure out the best plan in order to get Connor back home to LA.

After talking for a while, Buffy inquired to see if Connor could come to her office, but Connor wasn't in school, yet his cousin, Kassandra O'Connor was. When the girl walked into Buffy's office, her voice was caught in her throat. Shaking her head, Kassandra turned the other way and walked out, back to her class.

The two women looked at each other, "That went well," Cordelia remarked. 

Buffy just looked through her Rolodex. "Here's their address, go talk to one of them."

By the end of the day, Dawn was dead tired; she was ready to go home. She was so happy when se arrived home, with no visible sign that there was another soul in the house. She was surprised to say the least when she walking into her room, only to see Connor sitting at her desk.

The scene could eerily remind one with Buffy and Angel replacing Dawn and Connor.

"What are you doing here?" Dawn asked once she calmed down enough from her scare.

"Had to hide," Connor told her while he debated within himself to tell Dawn the truth about his checkered pats.

Dawn gave him a quizzical look; "You had to hide from?"

Connor sighed and told her his tale. It was against his better judgement, but he could trust her, or so he hoped. But the end he expected her to recoil in disgust, but that was not the case. Dawn embraced him.

"But you know better now, don't you?" she prompted.

"I guess so," Connor shrugged.

"Look, the sun is setting in a few hours. I'm going to call Kassandra to tell her we'll be around. Okay?" Dawn kissed Connor's forehead, much like a child would do to her child.

As soon as the sun's last rays hit Dawn's bedroom wall, they slipped out of Dawn's window, which again could represent Buffy and Angel, born once again.

Only minutes after Dawn and Connor stole away, Angel and Buffy arrived at the Summer's house. As they walked up the stairs, Angel's nose picked something up.

"Connor, he was here," Angel told the slayer quietly. As they walked into Dawn's room, they were greeted only by the fluttering of the window curtains.

As they walked down the stairs Buffy sighed, "So this is how Mom felt," Angel nodded, thinking of his father, long dead.

As the two sat quietly in the living room while the rest incessantly chattered on. No one noticed when Cordelia left the room, and eventually the house.

Cordelia shifted from foot to foot as she rang the doorbell for the second time. "Yes?" Kassandra opened the door.

"Look, I know you don't really know me or trust me, but I need to talk to you. It's about Connor," Cordelia pleaded. Kassandra didn't even meet Cordelia's eyes, but let her in anyway.

As she sat down, Cordelia looked at the simply decorated room. Kassandra sat across from the older woman, picking up some kind of knitting. Cordelia just watched, trying to figure out what she was going to say.

"Look, I know you have no reason to trust me, but you have to know that even though Connor may speak badly about us, we care about him so much. We really do," Cordelia started, but she stopped talking when she saw Kassandra's eyes.

Kassandra's eyes held something Cordelia recognized, but couldn't place. "Connor never said anything horrible about his family. But if you want to know about him, ask him," Kassandra told her.

Cordelia was stumped. But she didn't say a word, although if this hadn't concerned Connor, she would have yelled and screamed. Kassandra smiled demurely, and continued to knit. 

"I'm surprised it took you this long to come and talk, Seer," Kassandra said off handedly.

"What?" Cordelia tried to fake her out.

"With all your powers, why haven't you sniffed me out sooner?" Kassandra asked.

Realization dawned on Cordelia's face; "You know the whole story, past, present, and future."

Kassandra almost laughed, but it came out a snort, "So you guess it, but get this, you will only find out when it is the appropriate time,"

Cordelia rolled her eyes, "You lighters…will you stop talking in riddles?"

"But riddles are my way. Besides, only I know my mission. Now I'm going to tell you this, if you get in my way, if anyone gets in my way, they will be sorry," light in Kassandra's eyes snapped and crackled with an inner fire.

Cordelia nodded her head and showed herself to the door. She wasn't happy with the out come of the trip, but if fate was supposed to be like this, Angel Investigations may be setting up shop in Sunnydale for a while.

Kassandra was lone in the apartment, music her only company. Connor came home and stumbled to his bedroom. Running from his past, present, and future tired him out.

The next day Kassandra stole away down to the basement, hoping that Spike would listen to her.

"What do you want lighter?" Spike asked, unhappy to be disturbed.

"Spike, William the Bloody, William. Whatever you choose to be called. I have a story to tell you. One that takes place in the past, present, and future," Kassandra sat down and her eyes met the blonde vampire's.

By the time her story was complete, Spike had a disgusted look upon his face. But then he thought about it. "So I'm to give shelter to the two love birds?" he asked.

"If they need it. I'll protect them with my life I need be," Kassandra said with all seriousness. 

"Well then I'll try. I may not like it, but worse has been done," the vampire shrugged.

"You're a good man, William, you're a good man," Kassandra told Spike before she went back to the first floor, back to the life where there was no such thing as monsters under your bed.

* * *

Whee1 I know for the people that *are* reading this are feeling slightly jilted when they read the last part posted, but it was just an interlude! I mean a whole chapter about Angel when the fic is supposed to be Kassandra, but it's really about Connor and Dawn? Who knows….welcomed to my world…please review!


	6. What Family Really Means

Dawn sat in the cafeteria wither her boyfriend. He fed her a French fry and their friends just rolled their eyes in disgust. They had been acting like that the whole day, and quite frankly it was getting on their nerves.

"You guys sicken me, way too much lovey-dovey crap," Carlos complained, earning an elbow in his guy from his girlfriend, Kit.

"You don't say stuff like that, even if they are going over board. I think it's sweet really," she muttered to him. Kassandra stayed neutral. She had no significant other; she didn't need one. Kassandra was the one who watched over them, the one that took on the 'responsible' role.

"We have a free, what should be do?" Dawn asked once the bell rang and the rest of the students shuffled off to class.

Connor looked at her, "Well it is the end of the day, stupid lunch hour, no one's going to miss us if we skip out of here," he put his head on her shoulder.

"But we can't go outside, there's Willow and Xander to think about…to the basement?" Dawn asked.

"The super-human hearing? He won't be happy, but as long as he doesn't try and perform what he's famous for, or worse that is," Connor sighed and they slipped down to the basement together.

"Hi Spike, bye Spike!" Dawn waved to her friend and pulled her boyfriend into another part of the maze that was the basement of the school.

"Could you please be quiet?" Spike yelled after them; knowing he would hear them no matter what kind of precautions they took.

Spike tried to busy himself, but from time to time he could hear the occasional moan. He just moaned in despair himself when he did hear it. When the two came out again, they had a strange glow that Spike told himself that it was because of the lack of light, not because of what the two just did.

"I can't believe I let you do that. Please make sure you never do that again!" Spike bedded as they sat down. He also muttered a few other things, but neither Connor nor Dawn could hear them.

The three talked until they heard the bell ring upstairs; they just chose to ignore it. The conversation about dead things was a lot more interesting. As they heard a person's light treading on the steps leading from the school to the basement, they quieted down, not sure who was going to happen upon them.

"You two!" Buffy cried as she rounded at the corner and spotted the two teens.

"Now Slayer…" Spike tried to intervene.

"Shut up Spike. This really doesn't concern you," Buffy sneered.

Spike glared, "Now you listen her Slayer. Family's family and don't you dare deny it."

Buffy just ignored the blonde vampire and focused all her attention on Connor who was looking at her with a bored look in his eyes and devil-may-care smirk. "You have a problem?" he asked, seemingly innocent.

Ignoring the obvious challenge, she focused on her mission. "Look, your dad wants you to come with me. So let's go," Buffy commanded.

Connor looked at her, and blinked, "And I don't want to?" he turned on his heel and left the basement, leaving a Dawn and Spike to snicker.

Buffy was stunned and turned to her sister, "What just happened?" she asked.

Dawn just looked at her in disgust, or a patented teenager look, Buffy really couldn't tell the difference. "Family is family. Love is love. You must love in order to understand," she said as she walked out of the basement, leaving only Spike and Buffy.

Buffy look at Spike, but he to was gone. Snoring in humiliation, however light, she walked back to the first floor, ready to go home.

When she did arrive home, after Principal Wood had stopped her to talk about on of the students that kept getting out of class to talk to her, Buffy was surprised to see Dawn sitting on the couch in the living room with Angel. Sitting across from each other they seemed to be in the middle of a staring contest. They silently dared to other to look away; finally Buffy thought she should step in.

"Okay, someone please explain the whole soap opera to me once more?" Buffy snapped once she had gotten their attention.

Dawn stood up angrily, "It's Connor. He just doesn't understand!" Dawn accused, pointing the vampire that had stood up as well.

"He's just a boy," Angel defended himself.

"He's a teenager, he knows plenty. But you wouldn't know that, would you? He's ready for a life that you won't give!" Dawn yelled.

Angel looked at her, his eyes flashing just a hint of gold. "That's a fine thing to say yourself," he took a step toward her and then stopped, sniffing slightly. "You've mated," he snarled.

"And if we did?" Dawn left him with that question and walk out into the night.

Angel look at Buffy, "You mean they?" Buffy let the question in the air. Angel just nodded before he headed out intent on following Dawn's trial, which would in turn, lead him to Connor.

Letting his demon instincts take over, Angel was lead to the school. Not even bothering to stop and think about it, he just kept following the trail. He ended up in the basement. Angel smelt the scent of many people he knew.

"Why are you here?" a quiet voice asked him.

Angel turned to face the speaker, Connor, his son, "I came to you," Angel responded.

Connor's face hardened, but Angel could almost see and taste the teen's tears. "Good, now get out. You shan't be caught in my trap again."

"Now duck, you should try and listen to your pop for a change," Spike came out of the shadows, trying to mediate.

"But I'm happy here. There is no reason why I should leave," Connor said stubbornly.

"But give me a chance, don't shut me out," Angel begged, wanting to reach out and just touch his son, just to make sure he was real.

Connor's face was turned and he didn't say anything. Angel could see the ears crawling down his son's cheeks. He longed to gather him up in a hug, but Connor sprinted away and out of the school. Angel looked at Spike, who just shrugged, "Don't look at me Peaches. I was…persuaded…to let them do what they want. I don't get involved," Spike shrugged again.

Angel shook his head, "I'm sorry William, but the moment you met Connor, you became involved."

Spike made a face, "That's all very good and all. He's a nice bloke, but he really didn't need to go after 'Bit, did he?"

"Ahh, but William, you know things, just as I. Good luck Spike, the guilt will lessen," Angel smiled and then made his exit.

Angel walked down the streets and remembered the times he did so with Buffy. For some reason, it didn't seem to be as wonderful as it was just sitting at him with Cordelia.

He looking into the toy store's window, they were already gearing up for Christmas, although Thanksgiving was a good two weeks away. Feeling someone step up nest to him he said, "Beautiful isn't it?"

As he looked into the glass, he didn't see his reflection, which was to be expected but he did see the person next to him nod. "Aye, it is," the person confirmed.

Angel nodded in agreement, "It's my favorite time of year," but the person was already gone, but the image of the eyes were burned into his brain. "Kassay," he whispered and he shuffled off to Buffy's house in order to figure out what to do.

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Whee! Wasn't that fun? Yeah Dawn and Connor had sex, they're teenagers, what do expect. Besides, it all works out in the end. Oh yeah, don't forget to review….please?


	7. When Lovers Meet

As the weeks passed into Christmas, there was something in the air. Call it excitement, nervousness, or whatever, it was there. During that time Carlos and Kit were really introduced to Spike, the six found companionship, even if it was just a tad unconventual.

Spike was convinced to spend the eve of Christmas together with his friends in the apartment that Kassandra and Connor lived in. They had a joyous time, happy to relax, even if it was just for a night. The attacks by vampires and demons seemed to get heavier and heavier. There were many staking of vampires and none of the five teenagers dared to leave home without some kind of protection.

Kassandra had just brought out sticky-buns, which she proudly said did not come from Pillsbury. Connor shook his head, he knew better. She just did not know how to open the containers without the dough going every which way. They sat around and enjoyed the holiday season.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Kassandra had just gone back into the kitchen, so it was left to Connor to answer the door. When he did open his, his face and tone visibly darkened. "What do you want?" he asked in a condescending tone.

Angel looked at him, obviously hurt. "Fine, come it," Connor invited his father, a vampire in. "Look, you only have so long, so use it," Connor snapped, feeling defensive.

Angel's eyes blazed, but his face remained calm, "You're my son. What more reason do I have? You send me the message. We have forgiven each other."

Connor sighed, feeling as if he had been defeated. He was letting his true feelings show, something he had never planned on doing, "But have you stopped to think about someone other than yourself for once? Maybe I haven't forgiven myself yet!"

Angel sucked in an unneeded breath, "I never thought about that," he admitted.

Kassandra then came out of the kitchen from where she had been watching the whole thing, "Of course you didn't think about it! You never thought about anyone other than yourself. That's the way you've always been!" she raged.

Angel stepped back, "Kassay?" he whispered.

Her eyes blazed on; "You have no right, no right at all to call me that! Let fate go! Connor, your son is supposed to be here. It's fate, and don't you dare mess this up!"

Everyone looked at her, startled. She just went up, not even noticing, "I've been on this earth a long time, and you are not to undo it. I can stop you, and stop you I will! I've said that I'll protect them with my life," she spit at Angel's feet and then ran out the door, leaving everyone in a stunned silence.

Connor look as his father, curiosity in his eye, "What did you do?" he asked.

Angel look guiltily towards his son, but he didn't see him, "I killed her," he said more to himself than anyone else in the room.

With a scream of fury, Connor leapt to his father, intending to do some bodily harm, but Spike held him back. "No use in attacking him Duck. Not only could he stop you from laying a finger on him, he repents enough, go follow her," Spike whispered. Connor scrambled out of the grasp that held him and ran out the door. The other three followed him in hot pursuit; they all knew where she would go for comfort.

Angel and Spike stayed behind, "How?" Angel only asked.

"Your sister, Peaches, is a lighter. And right set on her mission. She wouldn't even stop to think about staking you if you were in her way," Spike said.

"What's her mission?" Angel asked, still in some kind of daze.

"What do you think it is? She wouldn't tell me, but it's not to hard to figure out," Spike shrugged.

The two vampires talked for sometime, but soon they decided to follow the teenagers, there was no telling what kind of trouble they could get into.

Meanwhile Dawn, Connor, Carlos, and Kit found Kassandra in Sunnydale's town square, deserted this Christmas Eve. "What's between you and Mr. Dark-and-Handsome?" Carlos asked, plopping down next to Kassandra; the others followed suit.

"We go way back. Far back as him killing me," Kassandra said bitterly.

Everyone seemed to nod; Kit and Carlos knew the basic story of Connor's experience of life. They knew that Angel was a vampire. It was scary how high school made people bond together and tell the deepest of secrets.

Only Dawn had enough gumption to ask, "Killed?"

Kassandra's lips were set in a straight line, "Yes killed. I killed my family by inviting that monster in. But I was not to be killed. Fate was not happy so I was made one of there servants so to speak. I was became a lighter. Someone to live until the balance is balanced."

The sat in silence for a few minutes when Connor's ears picked up a noise. He bade them to be quiet while he listened. Silently Kassandra reached behind and drew out weapons for the each of them, a sword or an axe. She just smiled a smile that told them that she'd never tell where they came from.

Standing up, the five went into a fighting stance, making sure no one's back was left exposed and therefore unprotected. There was another rustling, and the five became even more watchful.

"Ah, like ducks in a bathtub," a vampire came out.

Carlos snorted, "But ducks don't have sharp point objects." He swung at the un-dead creature and missed. The vampire missed and went for the easy meal, but Carlos pulled a stake from his pocket and stabbed it into the vampire's chest.

"Ick, vamp dust," he said after it imploded on him. He then went back to the fighting.

Dawn was holding her own, and she was happy that Buffy had been training her, even though they were not getting along so well. The vampire she was currently battle against, grinned wolfishly, "You my pretty is just what the master ordered. The impregnated Key by the Destroyer," he then started to attack ten times harder.

Dawn stumbled and fell backwards, the vampire stood over her, leering. "Get away from her!" Kassandra knock the vampire over and stuck the cross in his face, burning it. "Feel the pain!" she sneered and then staked it out of mercy.

While she was busy with her prey, the infantry arrive, running into the battle scene. Ignoring Spike, Angel, Buffy, Xander, Willow, Anya, Gunn, Fred, and Cordelia, the teenagers continued to fight.

As Connor fought, Angel watched when he could, pride welling up in his chest. Angel also felt pride when he observed Kassandra fight, she had learned somewhere, and she was good.

As Kassandra fought on of the last vampires, it stabbed her in the stomach, even though it hurt, she continued to fight until it was just dust blown away by the wind. She then fell down, adrenaline gone. The people who were just standing around and not fighting rushed over to her. Angel dusted the last vamp, seeing as the rest had run in fear and ran to her.

"Brother," she smiled softly/

"Kassay, we can get you to a hospital," Angel told her.

"No this is fate. With Dawn and Conner, everything's balanced out," she shook her head.

"So what's so important about those two love birds?" Gunn asked.

"That fate of the world," Kassandra blinked slowly.

Buffy shrugged, they'd get though it. But it would be disheartening to lose Kassandra. Someone had finally filled her in when Angel had gone to the apartment.

Angel held his sister's head tenderly in his lap as she took her last breath. He didn't notice the soft snow that had begun to fall. In fact, no one had. Everyone had grown silent, saddened by the loss. Even the ones that didn't even know her felt as if something had been lost, just by witnessing the last warm breath.

"Look!" Dawn pointed. There in front of the group was Kassandra. She wore a green dress that brought out her hazel eyes, and her curly brown hair fell across her shoulders and down her back in waves, like her free spirit. "Aye me friends, it's me time. I'm free! Don't you worry, you're in safe hands of the babe," she smiled, her Irish brought shone through.

"Kassay! Kassandra O'Connor! Where are ye!" a young man's voice called.

"Kevin!" Kassandra turned and saw a man with sandy hair and blue eyes smiling at her.

"Kassay, ye imp. Don't you think I've waiting long enough? Don't dawdle now!" he called, "They'll come in good time!"

Kassandra picked up her skirts and ran towards her soul mate, but before she was fully gone, she turned and waved, "Fair thee well me friends," and then turning back around she finished her journey. Which she completed with her lover who she had been parted from for over two hundred years.

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Review, please! This fic is pretty much done, just one more part to go. And I would love to know what you guys think of it!


	8. The Completed Circle

The night after the funeral Angel stood in front of his sister's grave. A tear rolled down his cheek, he was truly sorry for what he had done to her. Not only had he killed her, he had made her wander through out the centuries in order to balance the scale of life. Connor walked up and stood next to his father, saying nothing about the tears. In fact, he had done some crying himself, but he wouldn't let anyone know it.

"She was kind to me," Connor said after a moment, thinking of his first real friend.

"She was a kind person," Angel admitted, "But a naïve one. At least she was when we were young, and I preyed upon it. I guess she learned after that," Angel told his son about one of his first kills. Of which, none of them he was proud.

"Do you remember Kevin's last name by any chance?" Connor asked out of the blue as the walked out of the cemetery.

Angel thought for a moment, "I think it was Summers. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was, why?"

"I think Dawn figured out Kassandra's mission. Or at least the reason she was so hell bent on getting the two of us together," Connor smiled as they walked up the stairs leading to the apartment that Connor now solely lived in.

"You love her, don't you?" Angel asked when they stepped into the apartment. Everything was packed up, and what could be given away, was. The apartment looked bare, and impersonal. 

"Yeah I do. I'm going to be a father," Connor told his own. They had come to an understanding and now they had grown to be comfortable in each other's presence. Funny how a death of someone close to each of their hearts had done this.

"I know son, I know," Angel laid a hand on his son's shoulder. Connor looked up at him quizzically. "Call it a parent's intuition. Unfortunately mine kicked in just a bit too late."

Connor looked at his father, "Will you tell me about yours? Your father I mean, and your family?"

Angel nodded. "I was born in Ireland, the first born to James and Mary O'Connor…"

* * *

Yeah, that's it. The story is finite. Gone and done. Be proud and happy that it got done.

I'd like to thank **Kayla **cause she would always have a positive thing to say about my writing and never hesitated to read it. And she even put up with me while I typed this out to wait for me to write the stuff we're working on. Thanks so much K. I love you for that, and now that I'm done with this, I can start on a new Buffy fic that will just piss you off to no end cause I'll forget to write everything else.

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Mel: She read even though she didn't know all the characters, and she was brutally honest, (can't you even, I dunno…lie?). I'm going to get you into Angel I promise, I already got Nathan, and he hated Buffy! (scandal I know). But thanks for reading, and being so proud that I finished something!

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Mrs. Loch, and all my other teaches, but mostly Mrs. Loch: Thanks for having a boring class! It gave me time to write, too bad that I'm failing math because of it, oh well. Who needs geometry if one's to become a writer. I know what square is, I learned that in Kidnegarden, I'm fine. I'll survive. But thanks anyway for not noticing!

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And to that pushy reviewer that demanded a Buffy/Xander romance: Guess what, it ain't going to happen. I don't write that, I happen to like Xander with Anya, and Buffy annoys me sometimes, so that's just too bad for you. Besides, this was a Connor/Dawn. There was not one hint of Xander/Buffy.

And lastly, to you guys, you read my fic! I'm so proud, now if you would only review. Please do, please? 

~Elisabeth


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